Dyeing apparatus.



T. ALLSOP & W. W. SIBSGN.

DYBING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 001230, 1908.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909` 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

T. ALLSOP & W. W. SIBSON.

DYBING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED ooT.ao, 190s.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i velbom www T. ALLSOP & W. W.YSIBSON.

DYEING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED ooT.3o, 190B.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

2 Jn-. lfd.-. L .'|l. l n u .|l.. Nu". n

UNITED srnrns Parana onerosi.

THOMAS ALLSOP AND WALTER. W. SIBSOX. OF llllL DlSLllIlA, PENNSYLVANIA, SSIGNORS TO THE PHILADELPHIA DRYlNG itlritl'llNlitY COMPANY, Oi" PillLADlLPl-iln, PENN "YL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLYAX l.\.

DYEING lAPPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented April 13, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Tnonas ALLsoP and WALTER W. SmsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia,- in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dyeing' .apparatus and we de ,liereby declare the following to Abe a full, Clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled 1nv the art to which' 1t appel-turns to make -and use the same.`

This invention relates to imprmfements in :dyeing` machines ,of the open-vat type, and is particularly related to that'form of machine illustrated, described and claimed in our pending application for Letters Patent oil the .United States, Serial No. 452,377, iiledSeptember 10, '1908.

Thenrachine of the application referredto is primarily designed for the circulation of the dye-liquor within the vat during the -dyeing operation, whereby a much more.

uniform dyeing of the material or articles under treatment is accomplished than by4 those, machines wherein the dye-liquor remainsin a quiescent state. ln themachine in question, however, the materials or articlcs'have no movement while subjected to the action of the dye-liquor, but remain at restfin the containing cage, the liquor4 being causeddto-pa'ss'throughthis cage.

The present invention'has in contemplation the provision of a dyeing machine embodying the general principles of the Inachinc covered by the pplication aforesaid, but combining therewith means whereby the goods or articles. under treatment may be agitated'or tumbled about to permit the 'dye-liquor to permeate the mass, thus obtaining a machine having special advantages for dyeing hosiery. The invention also aims to 'provide a machine capable of service 'either in dyeing or washingr the goods after the latter have beiv n dyed, and in which provision is runde lor removal of the cylinder or drum containing' the goods for transfer to another machine, without, however, dist-urbino; the circulating mechanism, or impairing: the saine in the least.

The invention further contemplates providing'a machine of the class referred to having provision that enables the circulating mechanism to be 'stopped in its operation without affecting the operation of the cylin der or drum, and vice. versa, so that should conditions' require the same, the. liquid within'tlie vat can remain in a quiescent. state while the cylinder or drum can continue to rotate, or the cylinder or drum may be brought to rest while the circulation of the liquid continues.

With these general objects in view, and others that will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consists substantially inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illus- In the d1a.vingsl"igure ll is an end elevation of'a dyeing machine wherein the present invention is incorporated. Fig. 2 1s a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine.

Referring,r in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the vat of the machine. This may bc formed of any suitable material, but is preferably rectangular in form, the forward end of the vat being," curved and sustained by a suitable support 2.

' `Within the vat 1, and adjacent to the curved end thereof, is a cylinder or drum 3, said cylinder having solid heat` s i at its ends, which heads are provided with trunnions through the medium of which the cylinder or drum 3 is journaled for rotation in said vat. To this end the sides of the vat are provided with upwardly extending notches 6, and Surrounding each of said'i'notches 6, at the exterior of the. vat l, is a bearing 7, thetrunnions 5 being seated in these bearings. lt is to be observed, however,tlmt the bearings 7.

are closed at their outer sides, so that longitudinal movement of the cylinder or drum 3 is prevented, and each of the bearings 7, is further provided with a pair of converging guide surfaces 8 at its sides, whereby a flaring mouth is im artcd to the bearing 7 at its upper end. y reason of this the trunnions 5 may b e readily introduced to the bearings 7, said trunnions assing down the surfaces 8, and beingr gui( ed. by the latter into the bcarin portions. It will thus be seen that while t e cylinder or drum is properly supported in the vat 1, the same is free to be removed therefrom, and to the accomplish rattachment of suitable hoisting mechanism,

' pinion 27 that vis mounted upon -a-shaft 28 journaled in a bearing 31 arranged in the supnient of this -end each of the heads 4 is provided with a radially extending hoisting standard 9 that is iixedly connected to the head, the outer end of said standard projecting beyond the perimeter of the head and. having an opening 10 formed therein for the It will be understood that the standards 9 followthe heads 4 in the rotation ofthe cylinder or drum 3 to permit which the lengt-h of said standards is such as not to contact with either the bottoni or the curved end of the vat.

T he body portion of the cylinder or drum 3 may be of iron or wood suitably-perforated for the admission of the dye-liquor, or the same maybe of wire fabric, i-t being necessary that the construction shall be such as to permit the dye-liquor freely entering the cylinder dr drum in order to ermeate the mass of t-he material or articles eing treated, and in 'order that access may be readily had to the interior of the cylinder or drum the latter is provided with a hinged door 11 through which, when the cylinder or drum has been properly positioned, the material or articles maybe readily inserted and 'removed from the same. 4

The vat 1 is provided with an outlet 12,' and associated withy said vat is a pipe 13 having branches v14 through the medium of which steam may be introduced to the dyeliquor within the Vat. i f

That the cylinder or drum 3 may be properly. rotated for the purpose of agitating the mass of material or articles therein, and thereb subjecting the same to uniform treatment y the dye-liquor, a spur 15 is iixedly connected to one or the heads said spur gear meshing with a spur gear 16l that is s hiftably mounted upon a stub shaftf17, one end of said shaft being held by .a bracket arm 18 fxedfto the side -of the vat 1, the other end'of said shaft being arranged in a supporting bracket v19 carried by a .supporting plate 2O that, -in turn, is carried by the vat 1. The hub of the gear 16 is provided with a loose collar 21 having oppositely-projeeting )ins 22 at its4 sides, and said pins are receive b elongated slots. 23 formed in the sides of a ibo 24 that is included as a part of a shifting ever 25. This lever is pivoted .at its lower end, as at 26, to the side .of the vat, and it will thus be seen thatl when pressure is applied to the upper end of the ever 25 the gear 16 may be s ifted into and out of engagement with the spur gear 15. The shiftable gear 16 also meshes with an idler carried by the supporting bracket 19, and this idler pinion engages a power gear .29 carried at one end of a power shaft 3() thatis porting bracket 1 9, the other end of the shaft drum.

. ing 32 arranged upon the supporting plate20.

A sprocket wheel, or other .suitable forni of transmitting gear, 33, is alsdcarriedby the power shaft 30, adjacent to thej spur gear. 29, and through the inediumof this sprocket wheel power from any suitable source is applied to the shaft 3U. Hence, when theshafl 3() is rotating,`-'and the gear 16 engagesfth-e spur gear 15aijid the idler pinion 27, the cylinder or druiii .3 will rotate under the influence of said shaft 30, but movement of said cylinder' or drum is controlled essentially by the shiftabie gear 16.

Like the machine disclosed in our pending application Serial N o. 452,377, aforesaid,` the present machine has provisions ,for freely circulating the dye-liquor. .For this purpose the vat 1 has located in the end thereof opposite to the end wherein the cylinder .or drum 3 is journaled a pair of transverselyextending partitions 34. rFliese partitions extend across the entire width of the vat 1, and are spaced from each other to provide a compartment 35, but it will be observed that the upper and lower edges of said partitions ment 35., whereby the dye-liquor may readily pass over and under said compartment.

AThe upper and .lower ends of the compartmentV 35 are closed by valves 36 and37, and these valves are in the form of doors that are pivoted at their outer edges to the upper and lower edges of the outer partition 34 When, therefore, 'the valves 36 and 37 yswing open *terminateV at points removed from the top and shut the free edges of the same are directed toward the cylinder or drum 3. The vaives 36 and 37 control the direction of circulation of thedye-liquor, and the relative movement of the valvesis such that when one is closed the other is opened.

'Thus it willbe seen,as clearly illustrated inv Fig. 1, thepvalve 36'is in closed position, while the valve 37 is open,y and the -dyeliquor, in circulating lthrough the compartment 35,-will be. disdhargled at the bottom thereof, while this"discharge will occur' at the top of said vcompartment when the position of the valvesis'.reve1'sed to that illustrated in Fig. 1.` Pfilie arrangement described rovides for ,discharge of the dye-liquor v'from the compartment either to' the top or to the bottom df the vat 1, and thus to either the central port-ion of the cylinder or druni 3, or to the .lower edge thereof, this connection, a de'lector plate 38 is arranged at lthelower edge of theinner partition 34,'which plate extend towards the bottom edge of the cylinder or drum 3, so that a 'passage is formed between said plate and the bottom. of the vat to insure circulation ofthe dye-liquor yalong said ,bottom to 'i In That the: dye-liquor niayfreely enter the compartment 35 the outer partition 34 is Avide a circulating passage or space of substantial size, and the dye-liqiu'ir entering this space readily passes into the coiripart-V ment through said opening or openings 35. .es 1n the previous machine, provision is niade herein for ef"ecting circulation of the dye-liquor to the required extent, and Afor this purpose propeller wheels 4i() are arranged in. the compartment 35. lt is pref erable that a Vplurality of these Wheels .be

employed, and the saine are arranged oppositethe openings 39:, so that as said wheels -rotate they such the dye-liquor through said openingsinto said compartment. the construction of the Wheels 4() is preiisely the saine as that disclosed iii ouiI application previously referred to, and it is therefore unnecessary `to enter into a detailed desc-riptioii thereof; suflicev it to say that asthe dyc.

liquor is drawn, in through the openings 39 the same will be 'deflected outwardly from the hubs of the wheels 4() and (.lischarged at the outer edges thcreof. Each of the Wheels 4() is driven from a vertically disposed shaft 4l, journaled in suitable bearings, a pair if.v

bevel gears 42 being employed tocouple each wheel 40 with its shaft 4l, andsaid shafts 4l are. driven from oppositely-arranged bevel gears' 43 that engage siinilar gears 4st,- the latter being arranged'at the upper ends of theushafts 4l. the gears 43. opposite to each other, oixwith their teeth reversely disposed, the Wheels 4() will rotate inopposite directions, that is, one of the Wheelsl Will rotate toward the right,

'While the direction of rotation of the other wheel will be to. the, left, and this insures uniformdistribution O f the dye-liquor as the latter is. proj ected from the compartment 35 into. the vat 1. l

`The Wheels 43 are fixedly connected to a tubular shaft 45 that is-iiiountedupon the power shaft 30,. and. free torotate thereon, but it is intended that the shaft 45 shall derive its inotion from the power shaft 30, to which end. aclutchk collar i6 is splined to the shaft 30, beingfshiftable therealong throughtho medium of a hand levcr 47, said collar 46 engaging a clutch face at the contiguous end of the tubular shaft 4,5, and thus locking the latter into engagement with the shaft 30.

'lhe present machine also einbodles means for reversing periodically and automatically the direction of `flow of the dye-li uor as the latter circulates in the vat 1, an this is accomplished alternately opening and closing the valves 36 and 3.7, these valves moving Byfn'ranging trated and described in our, aforesaid appli- Gation. v

Mounted iii bearing standards 4.0 carriedv by the'supporting plato 20, is a cani shaft 50 that extends transversely of the vat, and this Shaft is provided adjacent to ,each of its ends with a cani 5 l.. Assi'nyiatcd with the cams l are links 52 the lower ends of which are pivotally connect-cd to the upper valve 36, as at 53. Upon the upper end of each of the links .32 is a pair of bearing rolls 54 that are arranged at opposite sides of the contiguous cain and forli upon the face of the latter, si: that in the rotation of said cams the, links .'32 are caused to rise and fall, and thereby open and close the valve 36, the valvel 37 operating in connection therewith through the inediuin4 of the rod 48. The up er end of each of the linlis 52 is provided Wit an' elongated slot 55, said slots receiving the shaft 50, and thus pei'- mitting free i'iiovement of thelinlis ipon said shaft, and said links pass through'tli'e supporting plate 20, suitable openings being pierced therein foi this purpose. The arrangenieiitof the linhs 52, the cams. 51, and cam' shaft 50 is precisely the same'as in our former application, and, as is also true of the construction disclosed in said application, the cani shaft 5() is operated by a bevel gear 56 carried thereby, said gear meshing with a horizontally disposed bevel gear deel 57 associated with a worin Wheel 53 journaled upon a suitable support. `This worin Wheel 53 meshes with a worm 5g, in the forni of a sleeve, said worm being loosely mounted upon the tubular shaft 45, and said worm has at one of its ends a clutch face adapted to be engaged by a clutch collar 60 splined upon the shaft 45 and operated thereonby a nianu ally-controlled shifting. lever 6l. lf, therefore, it bc desired at any time to stop lreversal of thecirculation of the dye-liqiior, it is but necessary to disconnect the collar 60 froin the worin 59, whereupon the cani shaft 50 ceases to operate, and inoveniont of the valves 36aiid 37 is thereby stopped, and should it he desired `to discontinuo circulation of the dyeliquor, so that the latter may remain in a q1iioscent state, this also Aniay be accomplished by merely discoiinectingl the clutch collar 46 4from the shaft 45,. whereupon the propeller Wheels 4() will cease their rotation.

In operatingthe herein described machine tlie requisite dyeliquor is introduced to the vat 1, and the cylinder or drum 3 having been provided with` the material or articles to be dyed, said cylinder or drum. is introduced to the vat l if it has not previously been placed therein, the trunnioiis 5. entering the bearings7 as hereinbefore described. If the gear lo is in mesh with the gears 15 and 27, and the clutch collars 45 and 60 engaged with their respective elements, motion beingf imparted to the shaft 30 will cause the cylinder or drum 3, the propeller wheels 40, and

'3, a portion, however, following the curved ekd of the vat 1 aroundthe periphery of the cylinder or drum. 'Ihe in rising from the bottom of the vat, yand permeates the mass Within the cylinder or drum, being .drawn therefrom, and passing over the .Valve 36, when the latter is closed,` as shown in Fig. 1,A said dye-liquor passing down between-the outer partition 34 and the end of the vat .1',v 'and Vagain entering the compartment 35 throughftlie 'openings 39. i This direction'ol" the circulation continues until the valve 37 is closed, and the valve 36 opened, through the action of the cams 51 and the links 52, whereupon the direction of low of the dye-liquor i`s reversed, the same passing out throughvthe top of the compartment 35 and entering the cylinder or drum at Vsubstantially 'its middle portion, or at a point substantially mid-way the upper and lower edges thereof, whence the dye-liquor permeates the mass and leaves the cylinder or drum at its'bottom and'op osite side portions, and from these points t e dye-liquor is drawn along the curved end and bottom of the vat,

beneath the detiector plate 38 and valve 37,

which is now closed, and rises in the space between the outer partition 34' and the end of the vat, and thence enters the compartin ent 35 from which it is againdischarged through its top, if the valve 36 still be open.

'l`his automatic reversal of the direction of' liow of the dye-liquor will continue so long as the cam shaft'50 is geared lwith the shaft 45,

but if it be desired to circulate. the liquor in but one direction, determined by closingr either the valve 36 or the valve.37, the. clutch collar G0 is disengaged from the -worm 59', whereupon the dye-liquor will iollow the path of discharge from the ,compartment 35 in accordance with the open position oi'l either of the valves 36 or 37. li' it be desired to stop rotation of the propeller' Wheels 40, as is sometimes desirable when the inachine is employed for washing thel materials or articles after the saine are d ved, this inay be accomplished b v disengaging the clutch collar 46 from the sleeve #15., in which event, the shaft 3l) continuingto operate, the cylinder or drum 3 will continue to revolve and i tumble thel goods around iii the wash Water.

As before stated, the ge'ar 16 may be readily shifted upon itsishzift, and when the same is disengaged' from the spur ear 15, the `cylinder or drum 3 4may be readily removed from the vat 1 for transfer to another machine, or

dye-li uor is thus, "caused to pass through the cylin er or drum.

for removing the goods therefrom, without disturbing the circulating mechanism, or impairing the saine in the least.

'lhe'hereindescribed machine is capable of use either for dyeing or for washing, and by its employment aords the advantage of obtaining in a single machine both the rotation of the material or articles being treated within the dye-liquor, and uniform circulation 'of the latter with respect to such, material or articles. Furthermore, the machine possesses the advantage of dyeing or washing the material or articles While the dye-liquor or Wash-water is either Ycirculated or in a .quiescent state, and adapts the machine to numerous uses where a non-revolving con-i" tainer for the material or articles cannot be adapted. n The machine is of especial advantage in the softening of the goods, such as stockings,v

-niaining at rest, andconsequently, the soap will not be churned up into curds. The stockings, therefore, will emerge from the machinesoft and dclicateto the touch, and free from the curdy deposits mentioned.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In adyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotata ble perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dyeliquor therein, and means for actuating said `circulating means and said cylinder simultaneously or independently of each other.

2. In4 a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein,

means within the vat for circulating the dyeliquor therein, means associated with said circulating means 4for changing the direction of tlieilow of the dye-.liquor in its circulatidn,

means for driving-said circulating means, connections between said driving means and said circulation-changing means whereby to impart to the dye-liquor alternate'iiow in reverse directions or in but one direction, and means. cooperating with said driving means to operate the circulating means and the cylinder'simultaneously or independently of cach other.

` 3. In la dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dyeliquor therein, and means associated with said circulating means for causing Acirculation f within said vat, means within the vat for cirsaid actuating means and said cylinder for actuating means and said cylinder for rotatconnections for engaging and disengaging the vof the dye-liquor alternatel in reverse direcl tions and maintaining the 1 ow in such directions for determinateV periods.

4. In a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, devices withinv the vat for circulating the dye- 1 liquor' therein, means for actuating said de'- vices, means associated with said circulating devices for changing the direction 'of the flow L of the dye-liquor in its circulation7 and means for actuating said circulation changing means by theactuating means for the circulating devices.

5. In a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatal ble perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dyeli uor therein, means for actuating said circiilating means, and connections between rotating the lattei by said actuating means.

6. In a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dye-liquor therein, means for actuating said circulating "means, connections between said ing the vlatter byvsaid actuating means, and a movable coupling element included in said rotatable cylinder with and from said actuating means.

7. In a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within'the vat for circulating the dyeliquor therein, means for actuating said circulating means, a train of gears between said actuating means and said cylinder for rotatl ing the latter by said actuating means, and a shiftable gear included in said train, whereby to engage and disengagc the cylinder with and from said actuating means.

` 8. In a dyeing ap aratus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder removably mounted culating the dye-li iior therein, means for g actuating said circii ating means, a train of i gears between said actuating means and said cylinder for rotating the latter by said actuating means, and a shiftable gear included in said train, whereby to engage and disengage the cylinder with and from said actuating means.

9. In a dyeing a paratus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dyeliquor therein, a shaft geared to said circulating means for actuating the latter, a train of gears between said actuating shaft and said cylinder for rotating thelatter by said shaft, and a' shiftable gear included in said train, whereb to engage and disengage the cylinder-wit and from said actuating means.

l0. In a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dyeliqiior therein, a driving shaft, a tubular shaft mounted upon said driving shaft and geared to said circulating means for actuating the latter, means for coupling said tubular shaft with said driving shaft, means asso- `ciatedv with said circulating means for chang- 'ing the direction of the flow of the dye-liquor .in its circulation, connections between said tubular shaft and the circulation-changing means for actuating the latter by said tubular shaft, and connections between said driving shaft and said cylinder for actuating the latter by the driving shaft.

l 1. In a dyeing apparatus, a vat, a rotatable perforated cylinder arranged therein, means within the vat for circulating the dyeliquor therein, a driving shaft, a tubular shaft mounted upon saidv driving shaft and geared to said circulating means for ing the latter, inea-ns for Coupling said tubular shaft with said driving shaft, means associated with said circulating means for changing the direction of the flow of the dye-liquor in its circulation, a shaft connected to said circulation-changing means for actuating the same, connections between the tubular shaft and the last-mentioned shaft for actuating the latter from said tubular shaft, and connections between said driving shaft and said cylinder' for actua ting the latter by the driving shaft.

12. ln a dyeing apparatus, a Vat, a rotatable perfhrated cylinder arranged therein, means with in the vat for circulating the dyeliguor tl'ierein, and a deflcctor plate arranged actu at-l substaiitially parallel with the bottoni of the vat and extending from said circulating means toward said rotatable cylinder to y tending from saidv circulating means toward said rotatable cylinder to maintain circulatior of the dye-liquor in a substantially fixed pat i.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

l THOMAS ALLSOP.

VWALTER W'. SIBSON,

Witnesses:

L. R. GARRErsoN, RALPH M. EnwiN. 

